WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING

The end of freedom of speech in the West?

Exclusive: William J. Murray calls on Christians to stand with jailed 'Innocence' producer

William J. Murray is the chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Religious Freedom Coalition and the author of seven books including "My Life Without God," which chronicles his early life in the home of destructive atheist and Marxist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Having lived the Marxist and the Ayn Rand lifestyle, he has a unique perspective on religion and politics.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

– Edmund Burke

Christians should “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but (also) reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). This clearly states that those Christians who do nothing about sin and evil help that sin and evil to prevail. Those Christians who are silent when there is sin and evil around them are in fact partakers with those that do evil (Ephesians 5:7).

What we face today in Europe and the Americas is worse than “good men doing nothing.” Often we find that it is “good men” in the name of political correctness or out of fear stopping others from speaking out against evil.

We should all remember at this point in our history Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) who was a prominent Protestant pastor during Adolf Hitler’s reign of terror. He emerged as an outspoken public foe of Hitler while others were silent. For the last seven years of Hitler’s rule, Niemöller was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. He is best remembered for this quote:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

As long as he could under Hitler’s rule, Martin Niemöller publicly argued that most Germans, and in particular the leaders of the Protestant churches, had been complicit in Nazi crimes through their silence. He believed the silence of the Protestant church led to the imprisonment, persecution and murder of millions of people.

In the case of the “Innocence of Muslims” video clip, only two organizations have stood up to the censorship of the Obama administration, and they are truly an odd couple. One is Google, a same-sex marriage promoting, very liberal corporation that often stands against traditional values. Google has stood up for free speech and refused to remove the video from its YouTube platform. The other is the venerable Wall Street Journal, which in an editorial condemned the jailing and silencing of the producer of “Innocence of Muslims.”

There are not enough voices; there is too much silence. Unless those who cherish free speech will stand up and be counted on the side of freedom, the future of our nation is bleak. I do not speak about the distant future but the near future.

In a letter to the president of one group of attorneys that defends religious liberty, on the subject of Mr. Nakoula and his film, I wrote, “If nothing is done to defend ‘Innocence of Muslims’ and its producer, then you, me or both of us, will be in jail a year from now. This man has said nothing that you and I have not also said about Islam and Muhammad.”

There are many voices in our nation clamoring for the freedom of speech to distribute pornography, to champion homosexuality, to defame Christians and to spread anti-Semitism. Where are the voices demanding the same rights of free speech for those who choose not to be silent about the terrors of Islamic fascism, which is sweeping across the world, leaving destruction and mass murder in its wake?

Today more than ever, courageous voices like that of Martin Niemöller need to speak out and help issue a warning to the world: “The final great Islamic fatah (conquest) is upon us, and we must not be silent!”